Thankful Thursday...on Wednesday afternoon...

I'm early with my Thankful Thursday post.....this week.....

When we found out that my Dad had cancer, the Lord gave our daughter Ashley 2 Chronicles to hold onto. We often read it when we become worried, or concerned. Our favorite portion is:

2 Chronicles 20: 15 & 16,

This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. 16 Tomorrow march down against them.

What a GREAT promise to stand on. The BATTLE is not yours...nor is it mine, but rather...it's GOD'S.

So today (Thursday), as my Dad is at the hosptial having a balloning/stent procedure on one of his heart arteries....and having his main neck artery checked out....I'm standing on the promise of God's word that says...He's in control of this battle.

I often wonder what the world does when they face hard life issues, when they have nothing to stand upon???

We truly are a BLESSED people, who are priveledged to call upon the name of our Savior in our day/time of trouble and he's there...walking right along side of us!!!

Father, I'm SO thankful that you are right in the center of this situation. I pray that as my parents make the hour drive to the hospital that you cover them with your sweet...sweet...peace. The kind of peace that passeth ALL understanding. Calm all worry and all fear.

And remind us Father, as we come to you with our prayer requests, to come to you FIRST with Thanksgiving....for truly we have SO much to be THANKFUL for!!

For more THANKFUL THURSDAYS, visit Iris here!

Thankful Thursday.....

“And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ~ Colossians 3:15-17 (ESV - emphasis mine)

I LOVE the above scripture that Iris choose to use today for her Thankful Thurday post. (For more TT, go here!)

Today I'm Thankful for...

......God's answer to prayer. As many of you know I've been praying for my friend J..and her daughter M; and I'm so excited to see that God is doing major heart work on M and things are going so well for her. M has decided to move away, and live with her Grandparents until she graduates H.S. and so far, this decision seems to be the right on.

....God using even the least of these...to minister to the lost and hurting. This past Saturday our church hosted our Annual "Care for All", and it was a HUGE success. Here's how the "Care for All" works, we partner with doctors, dentist, chiropractors, massage therapy, nutritionist, Audiologist/Hearing checks, Job Career counselors, Mortgage counselors, Haircut providers, Vision offices, Oil Changes, etc..... and we provide these services FREE of charge to our community. What a BLESSING this event is as we reach out to those less fortunate and provide services that would otherwise not be available to them.

Throughout the day we provide free meals and snacks, and great Christian entertainment while our guest are eating. We partner one person from our church, with each family that attends and we spend the entire day with them, walking them from service to service (that they choose) and share the gospel and the LOVE of the Lord.

We've seen GREAT fruit from this event, and you walk away from this time so THANKFUL, for what you have.

....God providing Ashley with her new Nanny job. God's truly opened this door for Ashley to not only nanny these children, BUT, to be the light of Jesus in their broken hearts as they walk this road of dealing with the untimely death of their mom on Christmas Eve.

The other day when Ashley came home she said to me, "Mom, I NEVER thought I'd be saying this........but now I understand WHY you always had your little chore charts on the fridge that we had to check off EVERY day when we completed our chores."

Ashley is dealing with a 5 year old who will not/cannot find it within herself to eat, or do simple things like put on her socks....and shoes. Ashley has begun to set boundaries and rules...so that she can help these children "deal" with life.

Tomorrow night, Ashley and I will be heading to Michaels to buy supplies to make simple chore, and activity charts, (as well as crayons and coloring books) to help establish a routine for these sweet children.

Of course, the Father is OVER joyed that Ashley is willing to do this, and he's providing the funding for her to do whatever she feels she needs to do to help bring order to their home.

Again, dealing with such tragedies like this, truly make you thankful, and as Ashley said, "I'm SO thankful, and blessed for how I was raised!" :-)

.....God's healing. My dh and I are counseling 3 couples at our church as they walk the road of broken marriages, and it's such an amazing adventure to watch God transforms broken, bitter, and wounded hearts...into hearts that LOVE again!!

We truly have SO much to be THANKFUL for.......I'm praying that each of you have an amazing THANKFUL THURSDAY!

Kim~

Thankful Thursday

Psalms 37:3-4 says, " Trust in the Lord and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart's desires."

Today I'm THANKFUL for:

~Spring......it's finally warming up in MN. Yesterday we hit 70 degree's and today we are suppose to get rain showers. Yippee....after the long winter, and the warm rain today, everything should begin to look green and bud's will start to bloom.

~Ashley's starts a new job. After returning from YWAM she's been praying about finding a job that will help her raise the funds she will need to return to Maui this fall for phase II....and this morning she received the call letting her know she's been hired. She will be a nanny for a 2 yr. old little boy, and 5 yr old little girl. The Dad is a doctor, and this sweet family lost their wife/mother in December. Ashley shared her strong faith during the interview and she told the doctor that she'd only be able to work until the end of August, and he was fine with that. (he even asked her if she'd be willing to come back as a nanny in December when she returns home :-) She will work 4 days a week....and will raise MORE than enough funds for YWAM. What a HUGE answer to prayer.

~Sense of humor....most people say they love having pets because of the love they give. Any of you who have pet's know what I'm talking about. It doesn't matter the kind of day you have, your pet's are ALWAYS waiting at home for you....with a happy bark, and a wag of their tail. Although we have pet's....our son Andrew really fit's this description. This kid DAILY cracks me up with his jokes, dance moves, sillyness......and in general....his personality. I just do not know where the boy finds the energy to be SO goofy~

~God' direction-the above scripture has always been a favorite of mine. Many times throughout my life I've written down the desires God has placed in my heart. I have found that often the journey to my destination is long, rough, weary, and at times unbearable.....yet....once I reach the destination....I'm in awe at how transformed my heart has become through the journey process. The older I get, the more I'm aware that God isn't as concerned about me reaching my destination...as he is about how I'm handling the journey....day by day...step by step.

~Small group-I'm SO thankful for the wonderful small group that I attend on Wednesday nights. We are currently in the Beth Moore study called "Breaking Free" This Bible study has been truly life changing, and I'm SO blessed my the woman who attend this group.

~Blog-friends-there are SO many of you who email me, and offer great words of encouragement to my soul.

For more Thankful Thursdays, go here!

Thankful Thursday

Today's scripture can be found in:

John 16:13-14

“When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.”
(ESV ~ emphasis mine)

Truth is something that we've been believing and praying for this past week as we've been walking our friends through a VERY difficult valley.

Today....this Thankful Thursday I'm SO thankful.....that no matter where I/you go...no matter how far I/you drift.....God's TRUTH will be revealed to our hearts...as he gently...pulls us home to him!!!

I'm so Thankful that my Jesus chases after a heart like mine....that often drifts...running from him...rather than too him!!

Oh...what sweet peace there is, when I RUN back to him....realizing that the dead end road I'm on...doesn't lead to him.

In his gentleness, and mercy...he waits patiently for my heart...to find it's way back to him.

For more Thankful Thursdays, please visit Iris!">

Thankful Thursday

I'm so excited that it is once again, Thankful Thursday. This week, God has been speaking to my heart about this passage of scripture has been....


Lamentations 3:25-26 (The Message)
25-27 God proves to be good to the man who passionately waits, to the woman who diligently seeks. It's a good thing to quietly hope, quietly hope for help from God. It's a good thing when you're young to stick it out through the hard times.

As I've been meditating on this scripture, God's given me SO much to be THANKFUL for, this beautiful Thursday.

~Sometimes, God allows periods of *waiting* in my life, and I'm finding that as I wait, I'm resting, and trusting more in him. And for that, I'm Thankful!

~When I diligently seek him...then will I find him.

~I'm so THANKFUL that today, tomorrow, and forever, I have the blessed HOPE...that my Jesus will be with me, leading and guiding my every step.

~Persistency.....Resolve.....just a few words to describe how my heart WILL follow after Jesus...even in the hard times, when I'm not sure of my footing. It's in these times that Jesus gently reminds me of this: Habakkuk 3:17-19 (The Message)

Though the cherry trees don't blossom and the strawberries don't ripen,Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty,I'm singing joyful praise to God.I'm turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God.Counting on God's Rule to prevail,I take heart and gain strength.I run like a deer.I feel like I'm king of the mountain!

~I'm so Thankful that even if I were the ONLY person here, my precious Jesus would have STILL come to die for ME!!

For more wonderul Thankful Thursdays, please go here, and visit Iris.

P.S.My sweet....sweet....friend Pam, from Without Fear could really use some prayer. Her Dear Prince..is in the hospital.....her Grandmother just passed away....and her kids are on spring break so her plate is rather full. Please stop by....and let her know you are thinking about her!!!

Have a BLESSED...Thankful Thursday Friends.

Kim~

Thankful Thursday

This week God has been dealing with my heart based on

Matthew 11:29 & 30 which says,

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

As I’ve pondered, meditated, prayed, cried, and prayed again, God has shared with me that I have SO much to be Thankful for.

~I’m Thankful that when I CHOOSE to remove my yoke of bondage, (my anger, my fears, my anxieties, my jealousy, my thoughts, my words, my actions, etc…) Jesus is waiting there for me to pick up HIS yoke.

~I’m Thankful that when I’m walking with my Savior (in his yoke) he teaches me. Most of the lessons I learn are hard, uncomfortable, and often painful and not easy. Yet, my precious Savior continues to lead me straight ahead….because he knows the plans he’s made for me.

~I’m Thankful that when I realize that I'm carrying my yoke (s) of bondage, my tired, weary souls find rest. Oh how I long to *live* in his rest.

~I’m Thankful that my Saviors yoke is easy and light. So why then, do I so often fight my Savior….desiring to carry my own yoke which is difficult….heavy……and to much to carry???

~I’m Thankful that my Savior is gentle, and patient….with this heart of mine.

Father, Thank-you for the transformation work you are doing in my heart. You’ve given me such as amazing word picture in my minds eye of how you desire me to walk daily, yoked to you keeping my eyes focused straight ahead as you lead, and guide my every step.

Please continue to work in this rebellious heart so that my yoke may be easy and my burden light….as I LEARN to find rest for my soul.

Amen~

For more Thankful Thursday’s, visit Iris!

Thankful Thursday

Today's scripture passage is:

“Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Lord, mighty in battle!” ~ Psalm 24:7-9 (ESV)

There are MANY..things that I'm Thankful for this Thursday, and since my focus the past few weeks has been on Ashley's return...my Thankful list is dedicated to her.

Today, as I think of my sweet...sweet...Ashley, I'm thankful to God for....

~the heart of my daughter, who was willing to give up EVERYTHING to follow after the heart of her Father...to take his gospel, to a lost and dying world who needs to know of his LOVE!!!

~the gentle spirit that flows from Ashley. She has GREAT compassion for others and does not like those less fortunate to be picked at, or critized.

~his ever faithful protection to Ashley, and her team while they were overseas.

~the call he has on Ashley's life. At time's Ashley, when you seek him with all your heart, he may seem silent...but don't give up hope....he's still there....leading, guiding and directing your every step!!

~Ashley's love for the word!

~Ashley seeking God as she prays for others....and how like the example she's witnessed from her parents, often encourages others with scripture verses!!

~Starbucks!!!!! Ashley will be home in 94 hours...(but who's counting?) and you can be certain...that we will find ourselves at Starbucks over the next few weeks, sippin' our favorite latte's as we "catch up"!!

~a daughter, who LOVES everything girly. I'm so anxious for you to be home so we can sit and enjoy a pedi, and a mani together....(it's just NOT the same without you) ........oh..the thought is enough to relax me!

~God's favor. There's nothing sweeter...than having your adult children pick up the phone, to call home asking for prayer, wisdom, guidence, and direction!!!!

~God's promises.......they are ye...and amen!!!

I have SO much to be Thankful for today Father......you truly are a GOOD God!!!

for more Thankful Thursdays, stop by Sting My Heart!!!

Thankful Thursday

“In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.” ~ Ephesians 6:16-18 (ESV - emphasis mine)

This passage of scripture is one of my favorites, as it's a great reminder to me of my need to not only daily pray to my Father, but throughout my day, keep my thoughts steadfast on him.

Today I'm Thankful that:

*God know's my name and all the details of my heart, and yet, he chooses to call me his daughter.

*God's love for me is never ending, and never failing.

*God is allowing some of the deep, heart issues to happen in my life. Although I'm experiencing great pain as I release a past friendship God's healing touch is mending my heart.

*God has given me an amazing husband who delights in allowing me to be me. I can discuss the same issue with him...over...and over...and over again, and he patiently listens, prays, and offers such amazing words of comfort.

*God has blessed me with two amazing children. Although my husband and I have fallen short TOO many times to count, God has kept our children faithfully following him.

*God has lead me to an amazing group of woman to fellowship with via a small group. We all come from different walks of life, some married, some single, some divorced, some children, some not. The sweet amazing bond of *sisterhood*....as we sit at the feet of Jesus, is truly priceless.

*God has given me HIS word. Today, our world and churches are so bombarded with theology and thinking that often causes great confusion. Yet, my Jesus has given his word as my road map! PRAISE his name.

For more Thankful Thursdays, please visit Iris here!

Thankful Thursday

“When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And he began to teach them many things.” ~ Mark 6:34 (ESV)

~Thank-you Father....for knowing my needs...long before I do!

~Thank-you Father....for a husband who *get's me*. For his ability to understand my deepest needs, and encourages me in my Faith journey.

~Thank-you Father.......for my sweet friend....who has reached out...encouarged me...and invited me to this:

I am SO excited to begin this journey!!! I'm always amazed at how God brings people, and situations into our lives at the RIGHT time!!

~Thank-you Father....for Andrew. Man that boy has a sense of humor...and so often he know exactly what to say...to crack this Mamma up!!!

~Thank-you Father....for remaining faithful...even when I'm not.

~Thank-you Father...for protection for Ashley and her team.

~Thank-you Father....for loving a sinner...such as I!!!

For more Thankful Thursdays, stop over here!

Thankful Thursday

I Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your cares upon him for he cares for you."

I'm so Thankful that my Jesus, cares for me, and each of my needs. Here in MN we woke up to this: 20 below zero! YIKES..it's freezin'...so today I'm Thankful for:


~ A warm bed


~A warm house


~A warm vehicle


~A warm long dress coat (to wear to work)


~A sweet hubby who drove me to work so I didn't have to ride the
bus for my hour commute....


~And, today I'm especially Thankful for this.....























For more Thankful Thursdays, go here! Praying that each of you have a THANKfilled..Thursday!

Thankful Thursday....

I'm a little late with my Thankful Thursday....but here goes. Today I'm especially Thankful for.....

~ My Dad was diagnoised with CLL (cancer) almost 2 years ago. He had his 3 month chemo...check-up yesterday and God continues to be Faithful. Three more rounds of chemo (once every three months) and then just quartly blood test. PTL. Lungs, kidneys, liver.....look PERFECT.

~MY sister-in-love had a small skin tag removed from her eye and the doctor discovered it was cancer. She went in yesterday for a follow up operation...and PTL....the doctor discovered he had gotten ALL of the cancer the first time.

~A sweet.....sweet.....sister-in-the-Lord....(who is my age....and she's both an amazing friend to me...as well as to my daughter) sent me an amazing email...and it made my day.

~Only 3 more days until Ashley is BACK in Thailand for the final leg of her YWAM outreach. The past 2 weeks of having NO contact with her has been Faith-growing to say the least. But PTL.....Ashley and her team have been safe even though there were a few bombings in the country they are in last weekend.

~I'm especially Thankful.....that by HIS stripes....I AM HEALED!!!

Today, I'm Thankful that....

Jesus holds the Keys to my life.

Often, I find in my life I desire to hold the keys so that I can gain access to doors I want opened. Yet, gently, and sometimes NOT so gently Jesus reminds me that HE...and he alone holds the keys.

I'm thankful that Jesus LOVES me enough...to keep certain doors closed....even though it may cause me discomfort. A hard lesson to learn (trust me, I'm not there yet) is that God's ways are FAR better than mine.

My prayer today is found in Deut. 5:32:
"Blessed Spirit, I give to You the entire responsibility of closing every road and stopping every step that is NOT of God. Let me hear Your voice behind me whenever I 'turn aside to the right or to the left'."


Thank-you Jesus...for LOVING me enough....to make me wait!


For more Thankful Thursdays, go here!

Thankful I'm a Cracked Pot :-)

Today....I'm Thankful for this Story, and I pray it blesses your heart....as it did mine. Thanks to a special friend for sharing this with me. It truly made my day.




A Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the ends of a pole, which she carried across her neck.
One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water, at the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After 2 years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?" "That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them. For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw. But it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

SO, to all of my crackpot friends, have a great day and remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

For more Thankful Thursdays, go here!!!

(Sorry....I don't know who the author of this amazing story is...so if you do, let me know so I can give them credit!!!!)

Thankful Thursday

God is SO good....ALL the time and today my heart is bursting with so much to be THANKFUL for.

*I'm thankful for my faith, and God's amazing G-R-A-C-E in my life.

*I'm thankful that when I fall down, my Jesus is quick to pick me back up.

*I'm thankful for God's word which offer's great healing to my soul.

*I'm thankful for my BLOG friends...who daily offer great inspiration to me.

*I'm thankful for my husband!!! Without him in my life, I'd be extremely UNBALANCED!!

*I'm thankful for my children Ashley and Andrew!!



*And today...I'm VERY thankful for......our churches retreat, which I'm leaving for this afternoon!!!

I'm SO excited about what God has planned for me!!!!

See ya in a couple of day, and have an A-M-A-Z-I-N-G weekend!!


Kim~

For more Thankful Thursdays, go here!!!

I'm THANKFUL for....

piles of clothes laying ALL over the house....carpets that need to be vacuumed, bathrooms that need to be cleaned...and floors that need to be scrubbed!!!

All of the above are gentle reminders that Ash is still at home with us...and those tasks can wait as we spend our final days preparing her from her trip!!

Ash has packed....unpacked..repacked, unpacked yet again, and repacked ONE more time trying to get 6 months worth of clothing into 2-suitcases to check.....and one carry on!!!


In fact, Ash as even admitted that she *has too many clothes*!!!!! :-) Whoever would have thought this could be true???? (let's not talk about her shoes...or her purses...hey, I'm just impressed that she's only taking one purse.....)

It's hard to know exactly WHAT to pack!!!! Of course she will need summer things by day, yet they say the evenings are really cool so she'll need jeans and sweatshirts!! Jeans and sweatshirst will come in handy for when the YWAM team is up at 3:00am...hiking up the mountain to have devotions as they watch the majestic, beautiful sunrise!! (Can I come too???)

Of course, having to really down size your wardrobe has been great too...especially since Ashley is now going through her things...sorting out which cousin's...get what items of hers!!! Let's just say there will be MANY happy young pre-teen girls in Wisconsin when they receive their care packages filled with Ashley's hand-me-downs!!

I'm also thankful for space bags!!!! If you have or do travel...you need to become VERY familiar with them!!! They have been such a HUGE life saver for us!! I'm amazed at HOW much stuff you can pack into those bags, suck the air out....and they shrink down into (almost) nothing-ness!!!! They are amazing.....and they will definitely help us stay under the 50 pound suitcase
limit!


Her's Ash surfing the US Postal Service website trying to figure out the cheapest way to ship her bedding! We just couldn't shrink those items small enough to get them in her suitcase. So, today her Dad is taking her to the post office to ship her bedding so it will be in Maui waiting for her!!

Ashley has also met her roommate on-line, and via their cell phone's which has been super helpful to get a head start on getting aqanted. Ashley's roommate will arrive before she does so she will plan to open Ashley's bedding and get the pick of the room they will be sharing!!! (There are advantages to being the first 2 girls to arrive on the base)

By tonight Ashley's luggage will be ready to go...and now she can step back...and spend the next 6 days doing fun things! Tomorrow, Ashley will spend the day at work with me, visiting one last time with my co-workers, getting one last physical...and then.....(why doesn't this surprise me) one last fix...I mean...trip to the Mall of America...via the light rail system.


Today Ashley will be filling out the Thank-you notes we worked on last night. We are SO blessed by those who have finanically stood behind Ash!!!

God has TRULY been faithful to meet the financial needs. In fact, last Friday...(aside from pledges that will still be coming in)...Ashley was $450.00 short...for her first payment which is due on September 14th. When we returned from our vacation....monies were waiting...and we only had to kick in $30.00!!! Now that's a HUGE PTL!!!

Please continue to pray as Ashley still needs to raise (roughly) $2,700.00 by December 1st for her three month missions outreach which will send her to 3-4 third world countries, bringing the gospel of Christ to a lost and dying world!!!!

This entire experience of preparing Ashley to leave for YWAM, and watching how excited she is to reach a lost and hurting world has truly made our *HEARTS* thankful!!!

God has something *SPECIAL* planned for our Ash...and we are just so blessed to be called her parents!!!

Ashley's prayer is this:

You said, "Ask and you will receive whatever you need. You said, "Pray and I'll hear from heaven, And I'll heal your land." U said Your glory will fill the earth Like water the sea. You said, "Lift up your eyes; The harvest is here, the kingdom is near. You said, "Ask and I'll give the nations to you." O Lord, that's the cry of my heart. Distant shores and the islands will see Your light as it rises on us. O Lord, I ask for the nations. O Lord, I ask for the nations.

Thankful Thursday

Since my blog is new, and it's July I thought I'd start off with 7 things for *Thanksful Thursday*:

1. For my Savior dying on the cross for my sin's so that I may have eternal life!! Without his gift, I'd be lost.

2. For a Godly husband who leads, guides, and directs our family in the ways of the Lord. I truly feel I AM the most BLESSED woman!!!

3. For my sweet daughter Ashley and the *heart* of God I see in her life. No matter what the circumstances, she ALWAYS finds beauty in the ashes! Although she's only 18, she daily teaches me what it means to live for Christ.

4. For my wonderful son Andrew and his sensitive spirit. He is growing into a wonderful young man who isn't afraid to show affection, respect and honor to ladies. His sense of humor abounds great in our home, and he brings *much* laughter (although at time annoying :-) )to our hearts.

5. For my*furbaby* Annabelle!!! She is such a *cuddle-bug*..and she LOVES her Mamma...no matter what!!!

6. For my *freedom* and the GREAT sacrific that so many men/woman are making on our behalf!! God BLESS them!

7. For my circle of friend! You know who you are..and you daily inspire me, encouarge me, and make me laugh. And for that...I'm THANKFUL!!!